Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has criticized Aminu Goro, a member of the House Committee on Education, accusing him of spreading falsehoods and launching unwarranted attacks in order to gain political advantage.
Ngige vehemently denied any plans to ban the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Ngige, taken aback by Goro’s remarks during the farewell session of the 9th House, advised the outgoing representative to familiarize himself with the Trade Union Act of 2004 and refrain from defaming others for personal political gain.
In a statement released by his Media Office, the former minister clarified that the Minister of Labour does not require presidential approval to revoke trade unions’ registration certificates.
According to Section 7 of the Trade Union Act 2004, the Registrar of Trade Unions has the authority to cancel certificates, particularly in cases where ASUU has violated Section 3 by failing to submit audited accounts for five consecutive years.
Regarding the allegation of proscribing ASUU, Ngige explained that the Essential Services Act, under the Trade Dispute Act (TDA) Cap T9, empowers the President to ban any union engaged in an illegal strike.
However, during the ASUU strike in 2022, neither the President nor any Education or Labour Minister suggested such a course of action.
Instead, the Minister of Labour and Employment followed the proper legal procedure by referring the matter to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication in accordance with Section 17 of the TDA 2004.
Thus, the accusation of an authoritarian proscription by Aminu Goro is baseless.
Ngige further criticized Goro’s narrative as a deceptive attempt to please the audience, including fellow outgoing members, at the expense of other patriotic Nigerians, including former President Buhari.
He called on everyone, including the outgoing Speaker, to discourage such misleading accounts.
Ngige clarified that there were no incidents on the executive side that aligned with the painted scenario described by Goro.
However, he acknowledged the contributions of the outgoing Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President in resolving the ASUU issue, alongside government officials, traditional and religious leaders.
Ultimately, it was the judiciary, through the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and the Court of Appeal, that provided the solution and ordered ASUU to return to the classroom, interpreting the relevant sections of the Trade Dispute Act 2004 impartially and without bias.
